For centuries England enjoyed an unbroken church music tradition deeply rooted in the long-established Catholic rituals, but the mid-16th century Reformation replaced that complex Catholic rite with the slimline volume that was the Book of Common Prayer. Thomas Tallis was among the composers who forged a path forward amid this ‘shock of the new’ to produce the earliest liturgical music in English. Alamire’s concert presents the finest examples of his craft across the changing liturgical demands of four Tudor monarchs: Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth I.

‘Performances from David Skinner’s choir Alamire, are a joy; flawless intonation and clear diction.’ The Arts Desk